Proceedings oI International ConIerence on Computing Sciences

WILKES100 ICCS 2013

ISBN: 978-93-5107-172-3
Nanomaterials in communication sector: a mini review
Preetika Sharma
1*
, Inderpreet Kaur
2
and Gaurav Sapra
1

1
Department of Electrical and Electronics, U.I.E.T. Panjab University,Chandigarh 160014, India
2
Biomolecular Electronics and Nanotechnology Group, C.S.I.O.,Chandigarh 160030, India.
Abstract
This review is presented as a common Ioundation Ior scientists interested in nanomaterials, their properties and their
applications in communication sector. Nanomaterials with novel optical, electrical and magnetic properties have seen new
opportunities to improve digital and radio Irequency electronics, advance sensors, transparent electronics, low power
switches and even battery energy storage. In this review, some oI the recent progress made in the use oI nanomaterials Ior
communication applications is illustrated. This paper also emphasis on types oI nanocommunication networks. The Iinal
section oIIers some advantages, disadvantages and Iuture prospects in communication sector.
2013 Elsevier Science. All rights reserved.
Keywords: Nanomaterials, Nanotechnology, Nanonetworks, Carbon Nanotube(CNT),Micro Electro Mechanical Systems (MEMS)
1. Introduction
Nanomaterials have attracted strong scientiIic and technological interest in recent years |1-5|. It has shown great
promise in many applications such as electronics and communication. Forthcoming developments in
nanotechnology through which the impossible can be made possible are nanomaterials with novel optical,
electrical, and magnetic properties, compact as well as Iast non-silicon based chipsets Ior processors, quantum
computing and DNA computing, development oI telecom switches which are Iast and reliable, micro-electro-
mechanical systems and above all the development oI imaging and microscopic systems with high resolution. So
Ior these reasons it is not Iutile to examine the broad range oI nanotechnology and the revolutions made by it in the
Iield oI telecommunications.
Nanotechnology` is the brand new Irontier oI technology in the world. It deIines the development and
application oI materials and processes at the nanoscale(1-100 nanometers). Nanomaterials are particles, tubes,
membranes and other materials which are measured in nanometres The main types oI nanostructured materials
based on the dimensions oI their structural elements are: zero-dimensional (0D), one-dimensional (1D), two-
dimensional (2D) and three-dimensional (3D) nanomaterials as shown in Figure 1|6|.
Nanotechnology encompasses the scientiIic principles and properties oI nanoscience, that can be understood and
mastered when operating in the nanoscale domain, and applies them at technology level. Some nanotechnology
applications have already emerged and many others are under development. Together, they are expected to have
a major impact on the liIe oI every citizen, perhaps as much as other technologies like electricity and electronics
had over the whole oI the last century|7-10|. However, as in any other Iield, some nanotechnology applications
may be beneIicial as well as harmIul |11|.
*
Corresponding author. Preetika Sharma
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Figure 1. ClassiIication oI Nanomaterials.
In the Iield oI InIormation and Communication Technologies (ICT) nanotechnology |12| is expected to
improve inIormation processing systems constantly, which will result in increasingly powerIul hardware. New
nanotechnology recording concepts will combine various advantages: large memory-storage capability, very
Iast access and conservation oI data without constant power supply. These concepts are based on new
technologies such as transistors based on one single electron, memory storage in nanocrystals |13|, and
spintronics|14|. Thanks to nanoelectronics, a single device oI the size oI a credit card could be used as a tape
recorder, camera, video player, television, mobile telephone, GPS, translator, and, oI course, as a credit card. A
second ICT area where nanotechnology could play an important role is the interIace between computers and the
physical world. Computer display technologies, such as screens and interIaces with humans, as well as
detection devices to monitor the environment, will make widespread use oI nanomaterials to improve
perIormance. Scientists and researchers are working on the creation oI smart` environments in which objects oI
daily use are permanently interconnected, which would place us amidst a so-called Internet oI things`. In this
area, Radio Frequency IdentiIication tags (RFID) are expected to play a crucial role. Made by an antenna and
an electronic chip, these devices allow Ior the storage and remote retrieval oI data. RFID tags can be collated or
incorporated in products. More advanced than the bar code, these complex chips react to radio waves and
transmit their inIormation without contact. The main uses oI those sensor networks are quality control during
production, consumer inIormation and protection oI perishable products and management oI inIrastructures
such as the leakage oI water distribution systems. The nanometric generation oI RFID chips is developing
rapidly and could reduce their dimension to the size oI smart dust`.
This paper will give an overview oI the properties oI nanomaterials and Iollowed by some oI the types oI
communication systems using nanotechnologies.
2. Properties of Nanomaterials
Nanomaterials have the structural Ieatures in between oI those oI atoms and the bulk materials. While most
microstructured materials have similar properties to the corresponding bulk materials, the properties oI
materials with nanometer dimensions are signiIicantly diIIerent Irom those oI atoms and bulks materials. This is
mainly due to the nanometer size oI the materials which render them: (i) large Iraction oI surIace atoms;
(ii)high surIace energy; (iii) spatial conIinement; (iv) reduced imperIections, which do not exist in the
corresponding bulk materials. Due to their small dimensions, nanomaterials have extremely large surIace area
to volume ratio, which makes a large to be the surIace or interIacial atoms, resulting in more 'surIace
dependent material properties. Especially when the sizes oI nanomaterials are comparable to length, the entire
material will be aIIected by the surIace properties oI nanomaterials. This in turn may enhance or modiIy the
properties oI the bulk materials. Many novel applications oI the nanomaterials rose Irom these novel properties
|15| have also been proposed.
2.1 Optical Properties
One oI the most Iascinating and useIul aspects oI nanomaterials is their optical properties|16|. Applications
based on optical properties oI nanomaterials include optical detector, laser, sensor, imaging, phosphor, display,
solar cell, photocatalysis, photoelectrochemistry and biomedicine|17|.The optical properties oI nanomaterials
depend on parameters such as Ieature size, shape, surIace characteristics, and other variables including doping
and interaction with the surrounding environment or other nanostructures.
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2.2 Electrical Properties
Electrical Properties oI Nanoparticles discuss about Iundamentals oI electrical conductivity in nanotubes and
nanorods, carbon nanotubes, photoconductivity oI nanorods, electrical conductivity oI nanocomposites .One
interesting method which can be used to demonstrate the steps in conductance is the mechanical thinning oI a
nanowire and measurement oI the electrical current at a constant applied voltage. The important point here is
that, with decreasing diameter oI the wire, the number oI electron wave modes contributing to the electrical
conductivity is becoming increasingly smaller by well-deIined quantized steps. In electrically conducting
carbon nanotubes |18|, only one electron wave mode is observed which transport the electrical current. As the
lengths and orientations oI the carbon nanotubes are diIIerent, they touch the surIace oI the mercury at diIIerent
times, which provides two sets oI inIormation: (i) the inIluence oI carbon nanotube length on the resistance; and
(ii) the resistances oI the diIIerent nanotubes. As the nanotubes have diIIerent lengths, then with increasing
protrusion oI the Iiber bundle an increasing number oI carbon nanotubes will touch the surIace oI the mercury
droplet and contribute to the electrical current transport.
2.3 Mechanical Properties
'Mechanical Properties |15| oI Nanoparticles deals with bulk metallic and ceramic materials, inIluence oI
porosity, inIluence oI grain size, superplasticity, Iilled polymer composites, particle-Iilled polymers, polymer-
based nanocomposites Iilled with platelets, carbon nanotube-based composites. The discussion oI mechanical
properties oI nanomaterials|19| is, in to some extent, only oI quite basic interest, the reason being that it is
problematic to produce macroscopic bodies with a high density and a grain size in the range oI less than 100
nm. However, two materials, neither oI which is produced by pressing and sintering, have attracted much
greater interest as they will undoubtedly achieve industrial importance. These materials are polymers which
contain nanoparticles or nanotubes to improve their mechanical behaviors, and severely plastic-deIormed
metals, which exhibit astonishing properties |20|. However, because oI their larger grain size, the latter are
generally not accepted as nanomaterials. Experimental studies on the mechanical properties oI bulk
nanomaterials are generally impaired by major experimental problems in producing specimens with exactly
deIined grain sizes and porosities. ThereIore, model calculations and molecular dynamic studies are oI major
importance Ior an understanding oI the mechanical properties oI these materials.
2.4 Magnetic Properties
Bulk gold and Pt are non-magnetic, but at the nano size they are magnetic |20|. SurIace atoms are not only
diIIerent to bulk atoms, but they can also be modiIied by interaction with other chemical species, that is, by
capping the nanoparticles. This phenomenon opens the possibility to modiIy the physical properties oI the
nanoparticles by capping them with appropriate molecules. Actually, it should be possible that non-
Ierromagnetic bulk materials exhibit Ierromagnetic-like behavior when prepared in nano range. One can obtain
magnetic nanoparticles oI Pd, Pt and the surprising case oI Au (that is diamagnetic in bulk) Irom non-magnetic
bulk materials. In the case oI Pt and Pd, the Ierromagnetism arises Irom the structural changes associated with
size eIIects |21|. However, gold nanoparticles become Ierromagnetic when they are capped with appropriate
molecules: the charge localized at the particle surIace gives rise to Ierromagnetic-like behaviour.
3. Nanonetworks
Nanonetworks, i.e., the interconnection oI nano-scale devices, are expected to expand the capabilities oI single
nano-machines by allowing them to cooperate and share inIormation. Traditional communication technologies
are not directly suitable Ior nanonetworks mainly due to the size and power consumption oI existing
transmitters, receivers and additional processing components. All these deIine a new communication paradigm
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that demands novel solutions such as nano-transceivers, channel models Ior the nano-scale, and protocols and
architectures Ior nanonetworks. Nanonetworking is a new communication paradigm that covers various
communication methods that can be used to transmit inIormation between micro- and/or nano-scale
machines|23-24|.
Many novel nanoscale communication paradigms are currently under investigation such as molecular
communication(MC) and communication over carbon nanotubes.
3.1 Molecular Communication
Molecular communication |25-28| is envisioned as a promising method as an alternative to traditional
approaches such as electromagnetic wave or acoustic wave based systems. These systems can be used as a
transmission solution Ior communication between nanomachines and actual living cells. Various type oI
communication methods Ior MC systems are categorized by their eIIective range
i. Short range |29| e.g Molecular Motors , Fluorescence Energy transIer
ii. Short to Medium range |30| e.g Ion Signalling, Communication Via DiIIusion(CvD)
iii. Long range |31| e.g Bacteria based communication, Pheromone Signalling
Currently, Communication via DiIIusion (CvD) is one oI the most prominent systems in nanonetworks. The
main idea behind the CvD system is the usage oI certain molecules called messenger molecules, as the
inIormation carriers between two nanomachines residing in close-to-medium proximity to each other in a Iluid
environment .The system is composed oI Iive key processes as encoding, transmission, propagation, reception,
and decoding .First, data is encoded upon one or several properties (e.g. concentration level) oI a molecule
wave. Then, based on
the selected encoding technique and the bit sequence, the transmitter releases a number oI molecules in a time
slotted Iashion. These messenger molecules scatter in the medium Iollowing the probabilistic diIIusion
dynamics in the environment. Some oI these released molecules are received into molecule via receptors in the
cell membrane. According to the aIorementioned studies on channel capacity, it is shown that the reliability oI
the transmission diminishes exponentially with increasing transmission range while the average end-to-end
delay increases exponentially. These results limit the eIIective communication range oI the CvD systems to a
Iew tens oI micrometers; making it a solution Ior short-to-medium range inter-nanomachine communication.
Most oI these studies on the CvD system Iocus on a single transmitter single receiver systems. However, when
there are more communicating couples in the environment, additional issues arise and change the workings oI
the communication system. Thus, in order to develop a Iully capable system Ior the CvD system in MC, we
need to address these issues and design our communication system with these concerns in mind. Apart Irom the
interIerence issues, other studies show the eIIects oI diIIerent modulation techniques on the overall
perIormance oI the system.
3.2 Communication Over Carbon Nanotube (CNT)
CNT is a ground breaking material discovered two decades ago with tremendous number oI applications in
physical and technological sciences including molecular electronics, quantum computing and nanoscale
communication. Recently, new EM-based radio receivers and transmitters have been proposed using CNTs.
These communication systems are Iundamentally diIIerent Irom traditional antenna based systems. Rather than
relying on the oscillation oI electrons inside the antenna in response to EM waves. CNTs oscillate themselves
when they are charged. Oscillations lead to variation oI the distance oI the tip oI the CNT Irom a cathode plate.
The distance variations are then detected as Iluctuations oI the emission current. The ground breaking property
oI CNT based communication systems is that it is possible to establish communication in hundreds oI MHz
range with systems that are hundreds oI nm in size. Some oI the applications oI CNT based RF receiver
systems are:
i. Nanoscale 2D deIormation measurements
ii. CNT length distribution
iii. Particle detector
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iv. Nanoscale RF receivers
Another Iundamental research problem in nanoscale communication is addressing. Nano-addressing Ior
communication oI a nano-system has been an outstanding physical challenge. Recent work suggested a novel
voltage controlled nano-addressing Ior nano-system communication. It relies on external voltage instead oI
physical geometries to distinguish each nanoscale data line in an array. Simulation experiments show that the
proposed technique indeed achieves eIIective addressing with acceptable accuracy levels |32-33|.
4. Applications of Nanomaterials in Communication Sector
In communication sector always the major Iactor was the medium. It is really thought provoking that how
nanotechnology brings out revolutions in telecommunication as well as computing and networking industries
|34|. Forthcoming developments in nanotechnology through which the impossible can be made possible are
nanomaterials with novel optical, electrical, and magnetic properties, compact as well as Iast non-silicon based
chipsets Ior processors, quantum computing and DNA computing, development oI telecom switches which are
Iast and reliable, micro-electro-mechanical systems and above all the development oI imaging and microscopic
systems with high resolution. So Ior these reasons it is not Iutile to examine the broad range oI
nanotechnology and the revolutions made by it in the Iield oI telecommunications. Hence a detailed account oI
the types oI communications and the recent development in this Iield is essential.
4.1 Optical Communication
Fibre optics is mainly concerned with transmitting inIormation between two locations through pulses oI light
waves which travel through the core oI a wire. The light Iorms an electrical carrier wave that modulates a
signal. The light travels through the cable using the principle oI total internal reIlection.
Nanotechnology has played a vital role in dramatically advancing optical Iibre communications systems Irom
the crude prototypes oI 20 years ago based on bulk gallium arsenide lasers and multimode Iibre with
transmission distances oI a Iew kilometres and bit rates oI a Iew megabits per second. At present there are
optical Iibre communications systems which are based on single mode Iibre with bit rates a thousand times
greater and distance is no object. This has been made possible by two key developments in nanotechnology:
The development oI the multiquantum well laser based on indium phosphide technology which
operates in single longitudinal mode and has good thermal characteristics.
The discovery oI the erbium doped Iibre ampliIier and the use oI nanoscale Iibre gratings to provide
uniIorm ampliIication over a substantial Iraction oI the low loss Iibre window.
The underlying technology that has made this possible are novel crystal growth techniques which permit single
crystals oI metals, insulators and semiconductors to be grown with interIaces smooth to the atomic layer limit.
When coupled with an inbuilt ability to grow extremely thin layers ( 10nm). The thickness regime, which is
well within the nanoscale, is approached where the electronic structure oI the materials is modiIied to produce
new materials with properties not Iound in nature but inIluenced by quantum size eIIects.
In Iuture communication networks will have to exploit the ultimate inIormation carrying capacity oI silicon Iibre
using bit rates oI 100 gigabits per second and transmission over all the wavelengths in the low loss and
minimum dispersion windows. As the complexity oI telecommunication networks are always increasing, the
need Ior power control and regulation also increases. Power control is achieved through the use oI optical
devices that are based on nanostructures. Nanostructure based optical devices have already been introduced to
the Iield; this includes optical Iuses and optical limiters. Optical Iuses are devices that operate as a normal Iuse
whilst the input power is lower than a speciIied threshold point. Once the threshold is reached the power drops
irreversibly. Optical limiters are devices that transmit power as normal provided that the input power is lower
than the limit power, when the input power exceeds the limit power, the output power remains constant. These
devices act in a similar Iashion to circuit breakers and Zener diodes, which are electronic counterparts oI optical
Iuses and limiters. The Iundamental principle oI these particular optical devices is nonlinear interaction with
transmitted optical power. Optical devices can provide an eIIective means oI power regulation and protection
within optical networks. All optical switches and signal processing will also be required to reduce the soItware
burden. Nanotechnology will play an essential role in bringing about such networks via the development oI:
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high speed multiquantum well electroabsorption modulators Ior external modulation oI the laser
sources since direct modulation is not Ieasible at such high bit rates.
multiquantum well semiconductor ampliIiers and quantum dot structures to act as ultraIast all optical
switches.
Iibre microenvironments Ior ampliIiers that can operate at wavelengths inaccessible to the erbium
doped Iibre ampliIier.
Iilters based on Iibre grating technology and photonic nanostructures, and
microscopic 'optical benches' based on silicon micromachining to hold the optical devices in a precise
relationship to each other.
Other current advances in nanotechnology have resulted in new approaches Ior improvements in optical
communications. Traditional electronic devices are increasingly being replaced by optoelectronic devices such
as photonic crystals and quantum dots.
4.1.1 Photonic Crystals
A photonic crystal consists oI a lattice oI periodic dielectric or metal dielectric nanostructures that aIIect the
propagation oI electromagnetic waves. Essentially, photonic crystal contains regularly repeating internal region
oI high and low dielectric constant. Photon behaving as a waves propagate through this structure depending on
their wavelength. The periodicity oI the photonic crystal structure has to be oI same length scale as halI the
wavelength oI electromagnetic waves. Such crystals have to be artiIicially Iabricated by methods such as
electron-beam lithography and X-ray lithography system.
Photonic crystals are now receiving much attention because oI their potential in particular in the optical
communication industry. Researchers are considering light and photonic crystal in alternatives to electrons
travelling in wires Ior new generation integrated circuits. Light can travel much Iaster than an electron in wire
and it can carry large amount oI inIormation per second |35-36|.
4.1.2 Quantum Dots
Quantum Dot is the world`s smallest precision built transistor consisting oI just seven atoms in a single silicon
crystal. Despite its incredibly tiny size a mere Iour billionths oI a meter long the quantum dot is a
Iunctioning electronic device and it can be used to regulate and control electrical current Ilow like a commercial
transistor. Reduction in one dimension to nano size, but keeping other two dimensions large, results in a
structure known as quantum well. Reduction in two dimensions to nano size, while one remains large, results in
a structure called quantum wire; and the reduction oI all three dimensions to nano size results in the structure
known as a quantum dot (QD).Optical ampliIiers having nano-sized semiconductor particles, called quantum
dots, show attractive Ieatures such as an ultrawide operating wavelength range, suppressed waveIorm distortion
in high power output, and capability oI noise reduction (signal regeneration) by limiting ampliIication. With
these Ieatures, the quantum-dot devices have been developed targeting applications in optical communication
systems such as inline, booster, and preampliIiers, and are presently in the stage oI commercialization. The
application is not limited to optical ampliIiers, but also includes the light sources Ior sensors, gyroscopes,
optical coherence tomography, etc, and the gain elements integrated into wavelength-tunable lasers and mode-
locked lasers |37-38|.
One important aspect oI the communication sector is the security oI inIormation exchange. As the liIe is going
to be networked in all sectors it is crucial to give more emphasis on the conIidentiality oI the oIIicial as
well as personal mails. Quantum computing |39| provides us unlimited processing power and secure
communications. The miniaturization as well as Iast and rapid satellite communications, wireless LAN systems,
cellular phones etc. are possible only because oI the smart nano materials. A principal aim oI nanotechnology is
to produce three- dimensionally conIined quantum structure electronic devices such as quantum wire and
quantum dot devices. Some successIul devices in this direction are quantum well lasers Ior
telecommunications; High Electron Mobility Transistors (HEMTs) Ior low noise, high gain microwave
applications; and Vertical Cavity SurIace Emitting Lasers (VCSELs), Ior data communications, sensors,
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encoding and so on. Other application gadgets based on quantum dots, are on the verge oI commercialisation.
4.2 Wireless Communication
Nanotechnology is providing a new set oI tools to the engineering community to design and manuIacture
integrated devices just a Iew hundred oI nanometers in size. One oI the early applications oI these nano-devices
is in the Iield oI nanosensing. Nanosensors are not just tiny sensors, but devices that take advantage oI the
properties oI novel nanomaterials to identiIy and measure new types oI events in the nanoscale. Wireless
communication among these nanosensors will boost the range oI applications oI nanotechnology in the
biomedical (e.g., cooperative health monitoring and drug delivery systems in healthcare applications),
environmental research (e.g., distributed air pollution control), and military felds (e.g., Nuclear, Biological and
Chemical deIences), amongst others|40-43|. The main drivers Ior using nanotechnology in wireless devices are:
Increased use oI RF spectrum
Slower perIormance improvement oI RF components compared to digital electronics and
Demand Ior cheaper, smaller and less power consuming devices.
It has been estimated that by 2015 the amount oI data transIerred via wireless connections will be greater than
the data transIerred via wired connections in the US.. This is a challenging target, since the radio Irequency
spectrum is a limited natural resource, which needs to be shared by multiple diIIerent radio systems. Already,
many oI the Irequency bands are becoming crowded, which hinders and slows down the data traIIic. New
spectrum sharing methods and protocols are being designed to alleviate the problem.
4.2.1 Tuneable Radio Componets
To cope with the multitude oI diIIerent operation Irequencies mobile devices currently incorporate several
diIIerent radio transceivers. A more Ilexible solution under development is to do the baseband and radio
Irequency (RF) processing with soItware and generic multiradio RF components. However, the electronics
required Ior radio Iront ends is speciIic to the used Irequency and can`t be tuned to all the required Irequencies
with current technologies. New, more tuneable radio Iront end components are required. Graphene
nanoelectromechanical (NEMS) resonators have been proposed as tuneable resonators |44-45|. Graphene strip
can withstand very high strains, which makes it possible to tune the operating Irequency oI the resonator over a
wide bandwidth by straining it electrically |46|.
4.2.2 High Frequency Electronics
In addition to new spectrum sharing methods, the experts Ioresee that soon additional Irequency bands are also
needed. There are already ongoing standardization eIIorts to introduce new Irequencies Ior mobile data traIIic
in the higher Irequencies, around 2-5 GHz and up to 60GHz. The need Ior more spectrum does not stop here,
but devices operating at 60-100GHz Irequencies will be needed in the Iuture. These are out oI the limits oI
current silicon-based transistor technologies. New solutions are needed Ior electronics capable oI operating at
very high Irequencies. Promising alternatives are RF -transistors made oI graphene |47-48|.
4.2.3 Wireless Sensors
The trend towards intelligent environment and ubiquitous inIormation access means that new types oI
autonomous sensors with wireless communication links will be embedded in everyday objects. The devices
must be small, cheap and capable oI operating with power supplied by a very small battery, or electricity
harvested Irom light, radio waves or thermal energy. New nanoenabled sensors combined with miniaturized
RF transceivers can be used Ior health monitoring devices, and monitoring oI air quality, soil or water pollution
|49-50|.
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RFID tags are very simple, usually passive devices, which can be read using a radio Irequency transceiver.
Fabrication by printing can reduce the costs oI wireless sensors costs substantially, and nanoparticle inks can be
used
to increase the perIormance oI the printed device. RFID tags Iabricated with printed electronics are already
available, and new nanoparticle inks are close to commercialization.
4.3 Satellite Communication
A satellite is a radio relay station in orbit above the earth that receives, ampliIies and redirects analog and
digital signals contained within a carrier Irequency. Satellite system can roughly be segregated into three
categories: propulsion, navigation and communication. The space industry has Iocused on smaller, lighter, more
intelligent space systems that will achieve reduced total mission costs and more payloads. Smaller satellites are
becoming Ieasible thanks to the miniaturisation enabled by nanotechnology. Besides reducing their size, weight
and power consumption, the use oI micromachined devices could give better component integration in areas
such as propulsion, communication, data processing, power generation and navigation. The miniaturization oI
complete space systems is also called Nanosatellites (m 10 kg) and even Picosatellite (m 1 kg). The
miniaturization oI complete space systems is done with the help oI Micro Electro Mechanical Systems
(MEMS) technology.
Satellite communication systems utilize microwave transmission links. With requirements Ior higher bandwidth
and more channels, these microwave links are increasingly using the 30 GHz and above Irequency range. In
order to satisIy the power (tens oI watts) and bandwidth requirements (30 GHz) Ior long range
communications, satellites are using traveling wave tubes (TWTs) based on thermionic cathodes. Travelling
wave tubes, however, are bulky and heavy, and take up valuable space and weight budget in a satellite. Any
miniaturization oI the current TWT would give rise to cost savings in a satellite launch, and aid the
implementation oI microsatellites. Carbon nanotubes CNTs, which exhibit extraordinary feld emission
properties because oI their high electrical conductivity, ideal high aspect ratio whisker-like shape Ior
geometrical feld enhancement, and remarkable thermal stability, can be used as the emitter in such applications
|51-52|.
4.3.1 MicroElectroMechanical Systems (MEMS)
Smart matter is another term Ior micro-electromechanical systems (MEMS), a technology that combines
computers with tiny mechanical devices such as sensors, valves, gears, mirrors, and actuators embedded in
semiconductor chips. Microelectronic integrated circuits can be thought oI as the "brains" oI a system and
MEMS do this decision- making capability to allow microsystems to sense and control the environment.
MEMS combine many disciplines, including physics, bioinIormatics, biochemistry, electrical engineering,
optics and electronics. Typical MEMS devices combine sensing, processing or actuating Iunctions to alter the
way that the physical world is perceived and controlled. Sometimes MEMS and nanotechnology are terms that
are used interchangeably, because they both deal with microminiaturized objects. However, they are vastly
diIIerent. MEMS deals with creating devices that are measured in micrometers, whereas nanotechnology deals
with manipulating atoms at the nanometer level.
MEMS devices play a signiIicant role in space sector. By cutting the mass oI components onboard the space
vehicle, the launch costs and hopeIully the overall budget Ior production can be reduced. Furthermore, other
Ieatures oI MEMS devices, aside Irom their small size, can beneIit system components, such as power. By
converting Irom solid-state electronics to mechanical systems, the power consumption oI a device can be
signiIicantly lowered. This increase in eIIiciency could help reduce the battery power, size, and charge
necessary to operate the satellite. Two key advantages arise when considering MEMS devices in space
applications. The Iirst advantage is realized by lowering launch cost. The second advantage is the devices
resistance to radiation and vibration. Cosmic radiation can upset the operation oI solid state components but
MEMS structures can withstand radiation |53-54|.
Satellites usually deal with signals in the microwave range, which are high Irequency, short wavelength signals
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that can carry a large amount oI inIormation. OIten, the signals are in the gigahertz (109 Hz) radio Irequency
(RF) range. In order to eIIectively transmit and receive RF signals, satellites must have extremely sensitive
signal processing equipment. Also, the signal must be able to transmit over a large distance with very high
Iidelity and Iast data rate. Currently, most microwave signal handling is done with solid-state electronic
components. Electrical perIormance oI microwave components is determined almost entirely by the mechanical
dimensions oI the devices, and precision in the manuIacturing oI these components is extremely important.
MEMS devices are very attractive to use in these applications in this respect because oI the ability to accurately
control their dimensions |55|.
4.3.2 Carbon Nanotubes (CNT)
Carbon nanotubes (CNT) with diameters oI Iew nanometers as Iullerene derivatives represent pure carbon
compounds and occur in diIIerent modiIications, e.g. single walled (SWCNT) or multi-walled (MWCNT) as
shown in Figure 2 |56|.CNT possess unusual mechanical characteristics (on molecular level approx. 50 times
stronger than steel
and outstanding thermal and electrical conductivity). Due to their special properties, CNT possess numerous
application potentials in space, among other things within the ranges oI space structures, thermal control
devices, sensor technology, electronics and biomedicine. In particular the huge potential Ior mass savings in
space structures makes CNT very interesting Ior space applications.
Communications with spacecraIts and satellites depends on microwave devices. The currently used microwave
devices are based on relatively ineIIicient thermionic electron devices that require heating and cannot be
switched on instantaneously. A microwave diode that uses the CNT`s cold-cathode electron source and operates
at high Irequency and high current densities has been developed by Teo et al. (2005). As such a nanotube based
diode is very light, it can be switched on instantaneously and does not need a heating source. Due to their tiny
size and the ability to generate and modulate the beam simultaneous without the need Ior high temperatures,
CNT cathodes hold promise Ior a new generation oI lightweight, compact, and eIIicient microwave devices Ior
satellites or spacecraIt telecommunications. Using nanotube diode technology will help signiIicantly in
replacing conventional heavy, bulky, high temperature, microwave ampliIiers thus resulting in the cost being
reduced by halI due to the weight and size reduction oI up to 50 oI the microwave devices. Additionally, such
a technology will drive the industry toward very low cost microsatellites that weigh about 10kg.
II it should succeed in the Iuture to manuIacture Iavourable priced CNT with deIined characteristics on
industrial scale and to transIer the outstanding molecular properties into macroscopic materials, not only
improved conventional spacecraIt will be possible, but also space applications, which sound very visionary at
present. Conceivable Ior example is a space elevator, consisting oI a selI-supporting CNT rope, which is
connected Irom earth to a geostationary object in space |57-58|.
Figure 2. Single walled and Multi walled CNT
5. Advantages and Disadvantages of using Nanotechnology in Communication Sector
5.1 Advantages
203 Elsevier Publications, 2013
Preetika Sharma, Inderpreet Kaur and Gaurav Sapra
Nanotechnology will enable manuIacturers to produce computer chips and sensors that are
considerably
smaller, Iaster more energy eIIicient, and cheaper to manuIacture than their present-day counterparts.
Current advances in nanotechnology have resulted in new approaches Ior improvements in
telecommunications and inIormation processing. Traditional electronic devices are increasingly being
replaced by optoelectronic devices such as photonic crystals and quantum dots.
The use oI Quantum Dots has revolutionized the optoelectronics area. QDs oIIer superior optical
properties, high quantum eIIiciency (95), and size-tuneable mission.
Nanotechnology has enabled manuIacturing processes to yield smaller, Iaster, and more energy
eIIicient electronic, photonic, and optoelectronic devices.
New developments in nanotechnology sensors have generated new interest in MEMS based systems.
Such devices have applications in communications, medical diagnosis, commerce, the military,
aerospace, satellite systems, and wireless communications.
The major advantages oI MEMS devices are miniaturization, multiplicity, and the ability to directly
integrate the devices into microelectronics.
5.2 Disadvantages
Regulatory agencies do not yet exist to oversee the characterization oI nanoproducts, or their action
in a nanodimension
No thought process regarding the handling oI nanowaste.
Nanotechnology in telecommunications also poses the risk oI breaching security applications in
general as they are so small that detection (possible bugging oI building/mobile phones) would almost
be impossible. Again industry standards and government standards/laws need to be applied to reduce
this risk.
6. Conclusions
Today, many oI our nation`s most creative scientists and engineers are Iinding new ways to use nanotechnology
to improve the world in which we live. In this review, the physical properties oI nanomaterials comprising
optical, electrical, mechanical and magnetic properties are described. This paper also Iocuses on various
nanonetworks such as molecular communication and communication over CNT. The propagation oI the
communication signals in nanonetworks is totally diIIerent than in classical communication networks.
Nanonetworks use molecules instead oI electromagnetic or acoustic waves. Moreover, nanonetworks Ieatures
and components are explained. Various applications related to the use oI nanotechnology in the Iield oI optical,
wireless and communication are well illustrated in this paper. The Iinal section oI this review demonstrated
advantages and disadvantages oI the use oI nanotechnology in communication sector.
7. Future Scopes
Components based on the microelectromechanical system (MEMS) and nanoelectromechanical
system (NEMS) hold signiIicant promise Ior Iuture developments in wireless communication.
Nanotechnology can be used to achieve Gigabit networks, which will be helpIul in handling vast
amounts oI voice, image, and video data being created.
Nanotechnology is leading to the Iabrication oI devices that are cleaner, stronger, lighter and more
precise.
The impact oI nanotechnology on telecommunications is, in many ways, enabling communications
across not only physical borders but also across the cultural curtains oI long established economic,
political, cultural, and even religious barriers.
204 Elsevier Publications, 2013
Nanomaterials in ommunication ector: ini eview
As nanotechnology makes computing capabilities increasingly smaller and more eIIicient,
collecting, storing, sharing and processing large amounts oI inIormation will become easier and
cheaper.
Nanotechnology has the capability oI dramatically improving surveillance devices, thus leading to
an increase in incentives to private companies producing security nanotechnology.
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Index

C
CNT. see Communication over carbon nanotube (CNT)
Communication over carbon nanotube (CNT), 198199
Communication sector in nanomaterials
optical communication, 199200
photonic crystal, 200
quantum dot (QD), 200201
satellite communication, 202203
wireless communication, 201202

I
Information and Communication Technologies (ICT), 196

M
Micro electromechanical systems (MEMS), 202203
Molecular communication (MC), 198

N
Nanomaterials, 195
in communication sector, applications, 199203
properties of, 196197
Nanonetworks, 197
CNT, 198199
molecular communication (MC), 198
Nanotechnology, 195
classification of, 196

P
Properties of nanomaterials
electrical properties, 197
magnetic properties, 197
mechanical properties, 197
optical properties, 196

S
Satellite communication
advantages and disadvantages of, 203204
carbon nanotubes (CNT), 203
MEMS, 202203

W
Wireless communication
high frequency electronics, 201
tuneable radio componets, 201
wireless sensors, 201202